Quotes by Your Senators about the Neil Gorsuch Nomination

Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch is an extreme candidate chosen from a list handpicked by extreme right-wing groups. Any suggestion that this man is impartial and even-handed enough to take a lifetime seat on the U.S. Supreme Court is shameful. Gorsuch’s record on the Tenth Circuit raises serious concerns about his tendency to rule for corporations and against everyday people.

In the weeks and days leading up to his confirmation hearing, a majority of senators have dropped hints or made direct statements about where they stand on Neil Gorsuch. Make sure your senators don’t give in to bullying by the Republicans and president. See where your senators stand, then call on them OPPOSE Gorsuch.

Alaska

I am pleased with President Trump’s nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court . . . He is respected by legal scholars across ideological boundaries and is an originalist and textualist in the model of Justice Scalia.

Attorney General Strange and the other Attorneys General further noted President Trump’s decision to nominate Judge Gorsuch was in keeping with the will of the American people who wish to see the late Justice Scalia’s seat on the High Court filled by someone who will carry on his tradition of upholding the Constitution rather than rewriting it.

Arkansas

Millions of Americans went to their polling places on election day to make their voices heard on the type of jurist they want serving on the Supreme Court. They decided to put their trust in President Trump to fill the Court’s vacant seat.

He walked me through how he would conduct himself on the bench and how he sees the Supreme Court’s role in our constitutional democracy . . . With great confidence in his judgment, I look forward to supporting his nomination.

Arizona

Filling Justice Scalia’s seat with a principled conservative who will interpret the Constitution rather than legislate from the bench should be our top priority. I am confident that Judge Neil Gorsuch fits the bill[.]

Connecticut

As the nominee of a President who has viciously attacked the independence of the judiciary and declared multiple litmus tests for justices, Judge Gorsuch has a special responsibility to reassure the American people that he will be an open-minded and independent jurist.

I want a Supreme Court Justice who will fairly interpret the law, uphold the Constitution, and keep politics out of the courtroom. I want a mainstream judge, not an ideological partisan. I’ll take a close look at Judge Gorsuch’s record and judicial philosophy[.]

Delaware

Given President Trump’s actions in defiance of our Constitution and our values during these early moments of his administration, I will also insist that Judge Gorsuch meet and exceed the highest bar before being approved by the United States Senate.

I’m concerned about his position on access to justice and plaintiffs. I’m concerned about how he sees the balance of power between our branches and I’m concerned about some of his opinions and writings.

On the issue of this Supreme Court nomination specifically, the American people gave the president and the Republican-controlled Senate a mandate to choose a successor to Antonin Scalia . . . I am confident Judge Gorsuch will be confirmed by the Senate[.]

President Trump promised the American people he would nominate someone to the Supreme Court who is unwavering in their support of the Constitution, and he has kept his word. I applaud President Trump for nominating Judge Gorsuch to be our next Supreme Court Justice.

Hawaii

In his first two weeks as President, Donald Trump has demonstrated minimal tolerance for independent thinking and dissent. I am deeply concerned that his choice for the Supreme Court, Judge Neil Gorsuch, will be a rubber stamp for the President’s radical agenda.

Judge Gorsuch has consistently ruled in favor of corporations over individuals, has undermined women’s rights, and has failed to protect workers from discrimination. I will continue to study his record . . . [b]ut this was a missed opportunity to select a mainstream judge who could have garnered bipartisan support.

Iowa

During the course of Judge Gorsuch’s ten-year judicial career, his opinions have reflected not only his outstanding legal acumen, but also his respect for the Constitution and a Scalia-like ability to explain his decisions.

Following the death of Justice Scalia as Americans were beginning to cast their votes for the next President, I said that we’d move forward with the next President’s nomination to the Supreme Court, regardless of who won. The President has made his selection and that’s what we’ll do.

Idaho

I take seriously my constitutional responsibility to thoroughly review this nomination. As that review is conducted, I have long said that our next justice must look first and foremost to the Constitution for guidance in all legal matters.

Illinois

While I will reserve judgment on Judge Gorsuch’s nomination until his confirmation hearing in order to give my decision the diligence it deserves, I am troubled by his judicial record of undermining the Federal Government’s ability to protect labor and environmental rights, his hostility towards a woman’s right to make her own reproductive choices, and by one of his previous rulings that refused to hold law enforcement accountable for excessive force that led to a young man’s death.

With a dizzying array of legal and constitutional disputes already haunting this White House, the Senate will not simply hand President Trump the deciding vote on cases that bring his Administration before the Supreme Court.

Donnelly says he won’t decide how to vote until after Gorsuch’s confirmation hearings next month —but Republican Todd Young says the same, though he says he’s “highly impressed” after meeting with Gorsuch.

Kansas

[W]ith Judge Neil Gorsuch’s recent nomination to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, I look forward to the Senate considering and approving a justice who adheres to the text of the Constitution and does not legislate from the bench.

President Trump has selected a person who he believes will carry on in the tradition of Justice Scalia and uphold the values of the Constitution to the highest standard. I believe that is exactly the type of justice we need.

I like what I see so far, but look forward to learning more in the confirmation process. Neil Gorsuch is obviously very well-qualified based on his education and background, but I want to know what’s in his heart.

Massachusetts

As an Appeals Court judge for more than a decade, Judge Gorsuch has authored or joined opinions that have demonstrated hostility to women’s reproductive rights, commonsense environmental regulations, and the rights of workers, consumers, and the disabled. I will not support the nomination of Judge Gorsuch.

We cannot stand down when American values and constitutional principles are attacked. We cannot stand down while the President of the United States hands our highest court over to the highest bidder. And that is why I will oppose Judge Gorsuch’s nomination.

Maryland

During the Presidential campaign, Donald Trump said he would use litmus tests and select a justice in the mold of Antonin Scalia. I intend to dig deeply into Judge Gorsuch’s judicial and public record, but if he does fit into that extremist mold, it is troubling.

Maine

I look forward to the Senate proceeding to the next step in this process by holding public hearings in the Senate Judiciary Committee, which will help provide a careful, thorough vetting of this nominee’s record.

At the end of this process, I will make an independent judgment based on whether or not I believe he will interpret the law in accordance with existing statutes and precedent, and most importantly, in accordance with the Constitution.

I have great concerns about this nominee. I’ll listen. I’ll meet with him. The cases I`ve seen that he has ruled on I’m very concerned about, but I think the biggest thing is that it needs to be a coming together.

Minnesota

Long before his election, President Trump promised to appoint a Supreme Court justice in the mold of Antonin Scalia, who held a deeply conservative view of the Constitution and the Court . . . I have serious concerns about his judicial philosophy-especially on issues like access to justice, corporate accountability, workers’ rights, and women’s health.

Mississippi

I commend President Trump for his nomination of Judge Gorsuch to serve on the United States Supreme Court. Filling the seat left open by Justice Scalia was a critical issue for many voters in the presidential election.

When voters chose Donald Trump to be President, they made it clear that the Supreme Court vacancy should be filled by a jurist in the conservative mold of Justice Antonin Scalia. President Trump’s choice of Neil Gorsuch meets that high standard.

New Jersey

Most importantly, as a Supreme Court Justice, Judge Gorsuch must demonstrate he understands that the Supreme Court is the main safeguard of our Constitution and must remain an independent, equal branch of government, and no Justice can be beholden to the interests of any one person or group – including those of the president who appoints him.

President Trump has emphasized that he was choosing a nominee who would carry out his intention to reverse Roe v. Wade. So I want to be clear where I stand: Roe v. Wade has been the law of the land for over 40 years, and I will fight any effort to reverse the law and take away a woman’s right to make her own health care decisions.

Nevada

Any individual who is nominated to serve on the Supreme Court will be making decisions with broad implications for our safety, our rights and our core values as Americans . . . and I believe Judge Neil Gorsuch’s views on the issues and his full record deserves to be intensely scrutinized.

I look forward to meeting with Neil Gorsuch and vetting his qualifications as we begin this important process. It’s critical this seat is occupied by someone who can live up to the legacy of the late Justice Antonin Scalia[.]

New York

Judge Gorsuch has proven to have a judicial philosophy outside of the mainstream and time and again has subjugated individual rights to those of corporations . . . I plan to stand up for individuals over corporations and oppose his nomination[.]

Judge Gorsuch has repeatedly sided with corporations over working people, demonstrated a hostility toward women’s rights, and most troubling, hewed to an ideological approach to jurisprudence that makes me skeptical that he can be a strong, independent Justice on the Court[.]

Ohio

The people of Ohio deserve Supreme Court Justices who will defend the rights of working families over Wall Street and corporate special interests – and Judge Gorsuch’s record doesn’t pass that test . . . I cannot support any nominee who does not recognize that corporations are not people.

I expressed my belief that the job of a Supreme Court justice is to fairly and impartially apply the law, and to protect the rights guaranteed by the Constitution, not to legislate from the bench. I believe that is exactly what he will do should he be confirmed to this important position.

I was pleased to see President Trump nominate Judge Neil Gorsuch to fill Justice Antonin Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court of the United States . . . And I believe that like Justice Scalia, Judge Gorsuch will be a principled justice, will be dedicated to the principles of originalism, and will neutrally apply the law, even when doing so leads to a policy outcome he personally opposes.

In November, the People spoke, clearly. They elected President Donald Trump, who had repeatedly promised to nominate a justice firmly committed to following the law and the original understanding of the Constitution. Today, with the nomination of the Honorable Neil Gorsuch from the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, President Trump has fulfilled that promise, and the rule of law will be all the better for it.

Utah

More than any Supreme Court nominee in recent history, President Trump’s selection of Judge Gorsuch reflects the will of America’s voters. In a very real sense, Judge Gorsuch is the people’s nominee, and given his record and qualifications, we have every reason to believe he will serve the people well.

This vacancy was a central issue during the 2016 campaign and the people have spoken by electing President Trump and returning a Republican Senate majority. I applaud the President for his excellent choice, and I look forward to enthusiastically working toward Judge Gorsuch’s confirmation.

Virginia

In considering Judge Gorsuch’s nomination and observing his confirmation hearing, I intend to carefully scrutinize his temperament and record, particularly on civil rights and other Constitutional guarantees.

[H]is record must be thoroughly vetted to ensure his views and judicial philosophy are not out of the mainstream. I look forward to carefully reviewing Judge Gorsuch’s qualifications before deciding whether I believe he is fit to serve on our nation’s highest court.

Vermont

With the ideological litmus test that President Trump has applied in making this selection, the American people are justified to wonder whether Judge Gorsuch can truly be independent of the President who nominated him, and the moneyed interests that hand-picked him.

I would certainly start my process with deep concerns about whether this nominee would be someone who would protect our Constitutional rights and liberties and would respect critical precedents on issues like privacy, workers’ rights, protecting women’s access to health care and upholding Roe v. Wade, and more.

Wisconsin

I will not support a Supreme Court nominee who has too often favored big business over workers and retirees. I also believe people deserve a Supreme Court justice who will protect the constitutional rights and freedoms of all Americans. I don’t have confidence Judge Gorsuch is that nominee.

Replacing Justice Antonin Scalia, a man of unwavering devotion to freedom and the rule of law, is a daunting task. From what I’ve heard and read, it appears that Judge Gorsuch has a similar fidelity to the Constitution and integrity to apply the law as a judge, not a superlegislator.

I will continue to review Judge Gorsuch’s record, qualifications and his future testimony to determine if I will support him. I look forward to working with President Trump and my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to work through this confirmation process[.]